Carton with interlocking features

Abstract

A carton for holding one or more products. The carton can comprise a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, and the plurality of panels can comprise at least a front panel and a back panel. The front panel can extend opposite at least a portion of the back panel, and at least a portion of the back panel can extend past a top edge of the front panel. The carton further can comprise a plurality of locking elements for at least partially interlocking the carton with a second carton for at least partially forming a carton assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton for holding one or more products, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising at least a front panel and a back panel, wherein the front panel extends opposite at least a portion of the back panel and at least a portion of the back panel extends past a top edge of the front panel; and   a plurality of locking elements for at least partially interlocking the carton with a second carton for at least partially forming a carton assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locking elements extends along at least a portion of the back panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locking elements comprises a locking slot extending along at least a portion of the back panel and a locking tab extending from an edge of the back panel, the locking tab being spaced apart from the front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the front panel is foldably connected to the back panel, and the locking slot extends along at least a portion of the front panel. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locking elements comprises a first locking slot, a second locking slot, a first locking tab, and a second locking tab, the first locking slot and the second locking slot extending along at least a portion of the back panel, the first locking tab extending from a first edge of the back panel, and the second locking tab extending from a second edge of the back panel. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein the first locking tab and the second locking tab are spaced apart from the front panel. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a front bottom flap and a back bottom flap at least partially closing a bottom end of the carton. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the front bottom flap is foldably connected to the front panel along a front arcuate fold line and the back bottom flap is foldably connected to the back panel along a back arcuate fold line. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the front panel is foldably connected to the back panel along at least a longitudinal fold line, and wherein the front panel and the back panel at least partially curve away from one another along the front arcuate fold line and the back arcuate fold line. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the carton is separable from the second carton along at least a tear line. 
     
     
         11 . A carton assembly for holding one or more products, the carton assembly comprising:
 a first carton comprising a first plurality of panels that extends at least partially around a first carton interior, the first carton further comprising a first plurality of locking elements; and   a second carton comprising a second plurality of panels that extends at least partially around a second carton interior, the second carton further comprising a second plurality of locking elements;   the first carton engages the second carton so that the first carton interior cooperates with the second carton interior to form an assembly interior of the carton assembly, and the first plurality of locking elements engage the second plurality of locking elements for at least partially retaining the first carton and the second carton in the carton assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The carton assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel. 
     
     
         13 . The carton assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the back panel of the first carton is in an overlapping relationship with the front panel of the second carton and the back panel of the second carton is in an overlapping relationship with the front panel of the first carton. 
     
     
         14 . The carton assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the back panel of the first carton is in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the front panel of the second carton and the back panel of the second carton is in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the front panel of the first carton. 
     
     
         15 . The carton assembly of  claim 12 , wherein, for each of the first carton and the second carton, the front panel extends opposite at least a portion of the back panel and at least a portion of the back panel extends past a top edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         16 . The carton assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first plurality of locking elements and the second plurality of locking elements comprises a locking slot extending along at least a portion of the back panel of the respective first carton and second carton and a locking tab extending from an edge of the back panel of the respective first carton and second carton, the locking tabs being spaced apart from the respective front panel of the respective first carton and second carton. 
     
     
         17 . The carton assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the locking slot of the first carton at least partially receives the locking tab of the second carton and the locking slot of the second carton at least partially receives the locking tab of the first carton. 
     
     
         18 . The carton assembly of  claim 16 , wherein, for each of the first carton and the second carton, the front panel is foldably connected to the back panel and the locking slot extends along at least a portion of the front panel. 
     
     
         19 . The carton assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first carton and the second carton further comprises a front bottom flap foldably connected to the front panel along a front arcuate fold line and a back bottom flap foldably connected to the back panel along a back arcuate fold line, wherein, for each of the first carton and the second carton, the front bottom flap and the back bottom flap are foldable along the respective front arcuate fold line and the back arcuate fold line to at least partially open and close a bottom end of the respective first carton and second carton. 
     
     
         20 . The carton assembly of  claim 19 , wherein, for each of the first carton and the second carton, the front panel and the back panel are curved away from one another when the front bottom flap and the back bottom flap of the respective first carton and second carton are folded to close the bottom end of the respective first carton and second carton. 
     
     
         21 . A blank for forming a plurality of cartons for holding one or more products, the blank comprising:
 a first part for at least partially forming a first carton of the plurality of cartons, the first part comprising a first plurality of panels and a first plurality of locking elements; and   a second part for at least partially forming a second carton of the plurality of cartons, the second part comprising a second plurality of panels and a second plurality of locking elements, the first part and the second part being separable from one another along at least a tear line;   wherein the first carton formed from the first part is for engaging the second carton formed from the second part for at least partially forming a carton assembly, and the first plurality of locking elements and the second plurality of locking elements are for being engaged for at least partially retaining the first carton and the second carton in engagement with one another when the carton assembly is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the tear line is a first tear line, the back panel of the first part is at least partially connected to the front panel of the second part along the first tear line, and the back panel of the second part is at least partially connected to the front panel of the first part along a second tear line. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein, for each of the first part and the second part, the front panel is foldably connected to at least a portion of the back panel and at least a portion of the back panel extends past a top edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first plurality of locking elements and the second plurality of locking elements comprises a locking slot extending along at least a portion of the back panel of the respective first part and second part and a locking tab extending from an edge of the back panel of the respective first part and second part, the locking tabs being spaced apart from the respective front panel of the respective first part and second part. 
     
     
         26 . The blank of  claim 25 , wherein each of the locking tabs extends from a free edge of the respective back panel of the respective first part and second part. 
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 25 , further comprising a cutout defined along at least a portion of the first part and the second part, wherein each of the locking tabs extends from an edge of the respective back panel of the respective first part and second part, and the edges extend along the cutout. 
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 25 , wherein, for each of the first part and the second part, the front panel is foldably connected to the back panel and the locking slot extends along at least a portion of the front panel. 
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first part and the second part further comprises a front bottom flap foldably connected to the front panel along a front arcuate fold line and a back bottom flap foldably connected to the back panel along a back arcuate fold line, wherein, for each of the first part and the second part, the front bottom flap and the back bottom flap are foldable along the respective front arcuate fold line and back arcuate fold line to at least partially open and close a bottom end of the respective first carton and second carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a plurality of cartons for holding one or more products, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising a first part and a second part, the first part comprising a first plurality of panels and a first plurality of locking elements, and the second part comprising a second plurality of panels and a second plurality of locking elements, the blank comprising a tear line extending along at least a portion of each of the first part and the second part; and   forming the blank into at least a first carton and a second carton of the plurality of cartons by folding the blank, the first carton and the second carton being separable from one another along the tear line;   wherein the first carton is for engaging the second carton for at least partially forming a carton assembly, and the first plurality of locking elements and the second plurality of locking elements are for being engaged for at least partially retaining the first carton and the second carton in engagement with one another when the carton assembly is formed from the first carton and the second carton.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel, the tear line is a first tear line, the back panel of the first part is at least partially connected to the front panel of the second part along the first tear line, and the back panel of the second part is at least partially connected to the front panel of the first part along a second tear line, and wherein the method further comprises separating the first carton and the second carton from one another along at least the first tear line and the second tear line. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel, and wherein, for each of the first part and the second part, the front panel is foldably connected to at least a portion of the back panel and at least a portion of the back panel extends past a top edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel, and wherein each of the first plurality of locking elements and the second plurality of locking elements comprises a locking slot extending along at least a portion of the back panel of the respective first part and second part and a locking tab extending from an edge of the back panel of the respective first part and second part, the locking tabs being spaced apart from the respective front panel of the respective first part and second part. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels comprises at least a front panel and a back panel, wherein each of the first part and the second part further comprises a front bottom flap foldably connected to the front panel along a front arcuate fold line and a back bottom flap foldably connected to the back panel along a back arcuate fold line, and wherein the method further comprises separating the first carton and the second carton from one another along at least the tear line and folding the front bottom flap and the back bottom flap of at least one of the first carton and the second carton along the respective front arcuate fold line and back arcuate fold line to at least partially close a bottom end of the respective first carton and second carton. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising separating the first carton and the second carton from one another along at least the tear line.